The Changing Winds
by FacelessSage
Summary: "So, what do you think, kiddo? Would you like to go on a training trip with yours truly, the great Jiraya-sama?" The old pervert puffed his chest in pride and smiled. "No, I am fine. Thanks for the offer though, Pervy Sage." Naruto answered after staring dully for a few moments. Apparently, a broken neck and a fist through your shoulder is enough to make anyone think.
1. Chapter 1 Promises- Old and New...

**-[-**

**Chapter 1 Promises- Old and New…**

**-[-**

The steady beeping sound was the first thing that Naruto heard when he became aware of his surroundings. He tried opening his eyes but closed them again when they flashed with pain at the sudden brightness.

"Take it easy, Naruto." Shikamaru muttered from his bedside and stood up to help his injured comrade in a sitting position.

"How are you feeling?" Shikamaru inquired softly. Naruto observed his friend with a frown. It was true that Shikamaru was a lazy guy but Naruto had never seen him that subdued. His shoulders were hunched more than usual. There was an air of defeat surrounding him.

"Everything hurts. Any idea what hit me?" He croaked in an attempt to alleviate some tension in his own way. It seemed to work as Shikamaru chuckled and passed him a glass of water.

"Of course, everything would hurt, Naruto." Shikamaru shook his head in amusement. "A pierced shoulder is nothing to scoff at. I am actually surprised that you woke up as soon as you did. You didn't look too good when Kakashi-sensei brought you back, you know."

Naruto's face fell momentarily as he was reminded of his defeat. _I wasn't strong enough._ "How are the others?" He asked in worry. That bone user seemed very strong. And Naruto knew without a doubt that he was just as ruthless as he looked.

"They are fine." Shikamaru said with obvious relief in his voice. "It will take a few weeks of rehab but they will be alright."

Naruto winced and looked down. "They were that strong, huh?" He muttered as he remembered the sound four and that bone user. Neji, Lee, Kiba… They were pretty tough guys. To defeat them soundly… He shook his head. At least they were all alive.

"Neji was the most injured, other than you. It was only because of Shizune-san's medical expertise that he survived. Choji had to use forbidden jutsu to win his fight. His survival was bleak. I, Kiba and Lee barely won our fights with the help of sand shinobi. The mission was a failure." Shikamaru answered honestly and stared at his hands.

Naruto didn't say anything. He went over his own fight. Much if it was hazy but he knew that Sasuke was able fight him equally. It didn't matter. He was defeated anyway.

"Who did you fight?" Shikamaru asked curiously. "Was Orochimaru there as well?"

The sound of a thousand birds singing their songs filled his ears. He remembered getting slammed into the hard surface of the statues at the Valley of End. He felt the phantom pain of falling on his head and the sound of his neck breaking. He wouldn't have survived that in normal circumstances.

He shouldn't have survived that fall. The only reason he did was because of Kyuubi.

_"How pathetic, Naruto. Losing to these untrained eyes." _He remembered feeling the breath of Kyuubi as he stared at the malicious red eyes of the beast._ "You are nothing without my power, are you? Weak, pathetically weak." _The beast roared with laughter._ "Haha, I will give you my power once again. Remember that, if you survive." _

He felt his eyes sting at the memory. He took a few deep-breaths to calm himself. Nothing good ever happened by crying. He closed his eyes and clenched his fists. _I will never be that weak again._ Kyuubi's mocking laugh echoed in his ears. He jerked out of his thoughts when Shikamaru called his name.

"No, I fought Sasuke, why?" Naruto frowned in confusion and took another sip of water. He saw Shikamaru stiffen at his answer.

"So, are saying that Sasuke joined Orochimaru out of his free will?" Shikamaru asked carefully. His fists clenched when Naruto nodded in affirmation.

"I think so." Naruto told him as he remembered his conversation with Sasuke. "No, I don't think Sasuke was influenced or manipulated by Orochimaru."

Driven by his rage, true. Tempted by power, true. But Naruto didn't think that Sasuke was not aware of such things. He was too smart to not know when he was being led by the nose.

"Dammit." Shikamaru cursed. "So, the Uchiha joined a missing-nin of his own free will? You know that he will be hunted by Anbu as a wanted criminal, don't you?" Shikamaru said carefully and watched his reaction.

Instead of answering his friend, Naruto stared at his bandaged body. For a moment, Shikamaru thought he would not answer. Shikamaru sighed and leaned back in his chair to observe his friend.

"I know." Naruto muttered softly. He ran a hand through his hair and heaved a sigh. "Sasuke chose this path knowing full well where it would end. I tried my best to reason with him, I did."

Shikamaru frowned. By this, Naruto should be screaming to be released from the hospital and gearing up to go retrieve his team mate, kicking and screaming. Or at least engage in his ridiculous attempts at obtaining freedom.

"Are you sure you are fine?" He inquired again, watching him closely. He caught a flinch and saw him touch his injured shoulder with a frown.

"I am fine. Just fine." Naruto muttered and turned to watch out of the window.

"Very well." Shikamaru decided to leave it be, for now. "I will go and inform Tsunade-sama that you are awake. I was supposed to do that the moment you woke up. Tch, how troublesome."

Naruto chuckled and winced in pain when his wounds decided to make their presence known. "See ya." He waved with a smile.

Shikamaru waved lazily and turned away. "It should have been a capture mission instead of retrieval."

**-[-**

Shikamaru heaved a sigh as soon as he closed the door. He leaned on the wall and remembered the promise he made.

_Choji Akimichi and Neji Hyuga were in critical condition. Kiba Inuzuka had several severe injuries that would take a few weeks of rehab, just like Akamaru would take weeks before he could walk again. Rock Lee fought to the best of his abilities despite being injured. He too would take weeks to recover._

_The only one to return from the mission with minor injuries was him. The leader. Tch. _

_He reflected on his failure as he waited outside the emergency ward for a word on Choji's condition and did his best to ignore the sand kunoichi sitting on the opposite desk. She reminded him of his weakness with just her presence._

_"No point in making yourself crazy, you know." Temari said after watching fiddle with his fingers nervously. "Don't you remember your psychological training? With every mission comes sacrifice."_

_"Training and reality are two different things, you know." Shikamaru answered with a frown. "I thought I knew about missions. I thought I knew what it meant to be a shinobi. But after my first mission as a squad leader, only one thing is clear. I am not cut out to be a shinobi."_

_He stood and moved away from the ward, hoping to check in on Kiba. "Honestly, you men with your fragile egos. What? Are you afraid you might get hurt?" He ignored her harsh words, despite knowing how true they were._

_"A girl insults and disrespects you like that and you walk away." He father's amused voice gave him pause but he didn't bother to turn back. He was afraid of finding disappointed eyes staring at him._

_"Exchanging insults are what girls do." He answered. "I do not want to bother myself with such things."_

_"You are no man, are you?" He stiffened at his father's harsh words. "As far as I can see, you are nothing but a coward. You think just because you quit, the missions will stop?"_

_"You friends and comrades will be sent out on mission whether you are with them or not." His fists clenched in his pockets and he stared at his feet. "If not you, then under someone else, they will be sent out. They will face the same risks and dangers. Some might not even make it back."_

_His father continued ruthlessly. "How would it feel when you think that they could have made it if you were there to help them? You have a chance to reflect on your mistakes and learn from them. Use your failures to make yourself a better leader, Shikamaru."_

_"You won't help your friends by running away. Try to make yourself stronger for their sake and yours. The choice is simple, you are either a leader or a coward. So, which are you?" His father asked staring at him with an unreadable look._

_A leader or a coward. Who am I? Shikamaru asked himself. He didn't get the chance to answer as the door of the emergency ward opened and Lady Tsunade stepped out with a relieved face._

_"Choji Akimichi is going to just fine." Lady Tsunade declared with a small smile and moved to sit on the bench. "The antidote worked perfectly."_

_"The Nara clan's Medical encyclopaedia is an invaluable treasure. I cannot imagine the work your clan put into it. It's very impressive." Tsunade told Shikaku with a small smile who answered with a short, relieved 'thank you'._

_Soon after that, Shizune brought the news of Neji Hyuga's stabilized condition. Shikamaru felt his eyes sting with tears when he heard that both of his friends would be safe. Shizune also informed them that Naruto Uzumaki and Kakashi Hatake returned safely as well._

_"Shikamaru Nara." Tsunade turned her attention to the newly promoted chunin. "Your mission was a failure."_

_Ashamed, he stared at ground and his shoulders shook. "But I am glad that everyone's alive. That is the most important thing."_

_Tears fell down his cheeks as he struggled to regain his composure. "Next time the mission will go perfectly." He promised._

On his way to the next floor he gave a nod of acknowledgment to Sakura and idly wondered how her meeting with this changed Naruto would play out.

**-[-**

Somewhere in the Rice country, a relatively uninjured Sasuke Uchiha followed after Orochimaru in an underground base. He did not even glance at the dozens of people huddled together in the cells.

"Sasuke…" Orochimaru chuckled. "You are the chosen one."

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever." Sasuke dismissed that with a frown. He was perfectly aware of what Orochimaru was after. "You promised me power."

Orochimaru glanced back at his future body. His golden eyes stared at the arrogant brat with unhidden malicious amusement. _Oh, how easy would it be for me to break his pretty neck and gouge his precious eyes out._

Kabuto, understanding the look of his leader, moved to whisper in Sasuke's ear. "Don't let his current appearance fool you. Watch what you speak if you want to live long. That is still Lord Orochimaru you are talking to."

Kabuto flinched back when Sasuke moved away to glare at him. Not because he found the pretty boy's face terrifying, but because of the intense spike in the boy's chakra.

_The intensity of his chakra._ He thought in wonder as he stared at the boy.

Somewhere ahead of them, Orochimaru feeling the sudden spike of chakra merely confirmed that his choice to not snap the boy like a twig was correct.

**-[-**

"So, they are still not letting anyone in to see Choji?" Ino asked Choza, Choji's father, as she reached outside the emergency ward.

"No. But they say that he will be regaining consciousness soon enough. He will be alright." Choza informed Ino.

"Ah, thank goodness." Ino said in relief. She might have been a bit bossy and rude but she cared for her friends just like everyone else.

"It was a fortunate day when Lady Tsunade agreed to return to the village. If it weren't for her, Choji would've…" Ino reflected how close she was to losing one of her friends and teammate in a sombre mood.

_Next time, I will be there to help them. I refuse to be left behind because I was weak._

**-[-**

Sakura paused at the door with a hand on the knob and took a steady breath. Her heart beat just a bit faster at the thought of seeing Sasuke again.

_Would he be angry at me?_ She wondered. _I did rat him out. I hope he will forgive me._

"Here for a visit?" Sakura jumped a bit when she heard Lady Tsunade speak. "News travel fast I see."

"How is Sasuke-kun?" She asked carefully and moved away from door to make space for Lady Tsunade.

_Poor girl. She doesn't know._ Tsunade glanced at her from and opened the door. "Sasuke Uchiha is gone." She answered curtly and entered the room.

Sakura's eyes widened as she heard the confirmation of what she already guessed. Sasuke was a stubborn person. Even if he was brought back, it was very unlikely that he would be kept in a hospital. For better or worse, Sasuke did abandon the village.

She rubbed her eyes hastily and entered behind her leader. She supressed a gasp when she saw the condition of her other teammate.

"I had heard your injuries were pretty severe. You seem to be doing well considering…" Tsunade trailed off when she saw that Naruto was staring behind her instead of focusing on her.

"Naruto…" Sakura said in worried tone that made the boy look down.

"I am sorry, Sakura." Naruto stared at the slashed headband in his hands.

"Sorry? What are you sorry for?" Sakura asked while moving towards the window. "Let me guess. You got reckless and went on half-cocked again, huh?"

Sakura didn't see it but Tsunade saw the subtle changes in the boy's posture at her words. His fists clenched and his body stiffened yet he didn't look up. The way his chakra spiked suddenly was almost worrying.

Tsunade frowned. It was very unlikely behaviour on the boy's part. _Of course, getting a lightening fist shoved through shoulder by your comrade could do that to you._ The difference of training given to both boys was staggering. The result of their fight should have been obvious. Sasuke had years of disciplined training compared to Naruto.

She had read the reports about Kakashi favouring Sasuke with extra training and leaving both Sakura and Naruto on their own. And if what Jiraiya said was true then it was only luck that he came across the boy while peeping in a hot spring before the third round of chunin exams. Or else Naruto would still be stuck with a special Jonin who took care of the third's grandson.

Jiraiya could claim that their meeting was planned all he wanted. But Tsunade knew him. And she knew the truth. Jiraiya was not one to take responsibilities. Not after what happened with the three orphans he found during war. His literature became more important to him after that.

It wouldn't matter in this case. Tsunade knew that Jiraiya would take care of fourth's son when it mattered. But could she trust the old pervert with that task? She had known him for a long time.

She knew how he taught things. He didn't bother with anything more than a basic explanation. But Naruto was not the genius Jiraiya was used to deal with. _What will you do now? I wonder…_ Tsunade smiled and continued to observe the boy closely.

"Look at you. You look like a mummy." Sakura chuckled in amusement while moving the curtains of the window.

Naruto didn't answer. What could he say? That he was going to waste years of his life chasing after someone that didn't want anything to do with them.

He didn't want to do that. He didn't want to chase after someone who abandoned them as soon as he didn't need them. He didn't want to bother with someone who was willing to break his bonds because he wasn't satisfied with the way he progressed.

Even after getting extra training from their sensei, Sasuke remained unsatisfied. Naruto was not jealous of the special treatment. No, he wasn't jealous. But that didn't mean that he wasn't hurt with the way his own team leader favoured the resident genius.

_Sorry, Naruto. But I have already promised to train Sasuke._ It was Kakashi's jutsu that pierced his shoulder. Was Sasuke aiming for his heart and missed? Chidori was designed to kill. Unlike Rasengan, it was impossible to control the piercing power of that jutsu in the middle of the attack.

"Don't worry, Naruto." Sakura said after a moment's thought. "Next time, I will be with you when we go to get Sasuke back." She declared her desire with a hand on her heart.

Naruto stared at her for a moment before nodding. _Next time, I will defeat you, Sasuke._ He gave a small smile when she left to check up on Choji and the others.

"What are you going to do now, brat?" Naruto jumped and turned to Tsunade who was still staring at him. "Oh, and do tell the truth."

"How did you…" Naruto trailed off when he saw her frown. "Never mind. I don't really have time to worry about Sasuke."

Tsunade nodded. She knew very well what he was talking about. "Akatsuki." She muttered and crossed her arms.

"Hai, Akatsuki." Naruto confirmed. "Did you know that I was almost captured by them while we were trying to find you?"

"No." She frowned. "Jiraiya only said that you had a run-in with two members of that organization."

"That is one way of describing that." Naruto snorted. "Itachi Uchiha and Kisame Hoshikage."

Tsunade's eyes widened when she heard those names. The brat was very lucky that he managed to escape from those two. Her curiosity peaked but she didn't speak. She wanted to know what was going on in his mind.

"Jiraiya sensei was not there with me. Apparently, Itachi Uchiha used a genjutsu on a very attractive lady to lure Jiraiya sensei away from me." Naruto shook his head with a watery smile. "It was so easy for him to lure Jiraiya sensei away. I was asked to wait in a room we chose to rent for the stay while sensei decided to have a good time."

Tsunade chuckled in amusement as she listened about Jiraiya's inability to control himself. But in her mind, she was re-evaluating Jiraiya's training proposal.

"You know, I would've guessed that they would do some kind of surprise attack or something like that. But do you know what they did?" Tsunade leaned forward in interest. "They walked to the room I was staying in and knocked on the door."

"It was as if they didn't even consider me a threat to them." Tsunade was of half a mind to confirm the factuality of that statement but decided to listen patiently.

"And even then, when I stood in front of them, I couldn't bring myself to move. My legs froze when I stared in their cruel eyes and felt power rolling of them in waves. I've never felt so small and weak. It was probably luck that Sasuke and Jiraiya appeared when they did." He confessed with his head bowed in shame.

"Even when I was fighting against Orochimaru during the second round of chunin exams, I was at least able to move my body. I know that he was just playing around with us. I have seen his strength when I witnessed you Sannins fight it out." He didn't want to say that it was only because he was using Kyuubi's power to be able to do that much.

Tsunade gave a wry smile. It was good that Naruto was acknowledging his weakness. The only thing remained was to see where he wanted to go from there.

"Heck, my win against Kabuto was probably a fluke at best. He underestimated me and I got a lucky shot in." And that was while not considering other factors.

Tsunade knew that Kabuto was weakened and tired after fighting against both herself and her apprentice, who was a jonin level ninja herself. His body was probably also feeling the after effects of consuming a blood pill, a food pill and performing a summoning jutsu. Yes, if one looked at it that way, then Naruto was definitely lucky in that fight.

"I've never felt as weak as I did when I was standing in front of Itachi and Kisame." Naruto closed his eyes in pain. "And Orochimaru used to be one of them. He said that he was defeated by Sasuke's brother when we fought in the Forest of Death."

Tsunade smiled grimly. It was a bitter truth to swallow for the kid that he was nothing compared to the people who desired his head for what he contained. She knew that under all that goofiness and reckless behaviour, the was boy was actually very perceptive.

To think he had the courage to admit his weakness in front of his leader. Yes, so far, the boy was on the correct path.

"Then what are you going to do about it, Naruto-kun?" Tsunade waited for the boy to gather his thoughts and glanced outside. This whole ordeal with Sasuke Uchiha was a wake-up call for the genins.

Shikamaru, Neji, Kiba, Choji, Lee even Ino and Sakura… They were slapped in the face with reality of where they stood in the pecking order. None of them seemed to be happy about it. Shikamaru almost chose to quit the life of shinobi because of his failure as a leader.

The life of a shinobi was difficult. They could do nothing but persevere and grow strong for the future.

"Ne, Granny Tsunade?" Naruto looked up with his usual bright smile. "When will I get to leave this bed? I am not going to get stronger by being stuck in this prison."

And Tsunade knew that the future of her village would remain bright. How could it not when they had such determined shinobi to fight for it?

"Just as soon as you get healed, Naruto-kun." Tsunade ruffled his hair playfully and left the room doing her best not to laugh at the whining boy.

**-[-**

Jiraiya nursed a bump on his head and stood up with a wince. "All this time and Tsunade hits just as hard as she did years ago." He muttered in annoyance.

"Honestly!" He threw his hands in air. "How was I supposed to know when they would attack?"

"It's not like they gave me a warning before coming after the kid." He glanced at the curious people surrounding him. "Besides, the kid is not going to learn if I hold his hand all the time, right?"

_The kid is not going to be in any position to learn if you decide to throw him at monsters like Itachi and Kisame without proper training._ Tsunade's roar echoed in his head.

"Right." He rubbed his head in realization. "Anyway, let's see what the kid decides before I plan anything for the future."

**-[-**

Naruto woke up with a start when a loud bang sounded near him. He got up and rushed to windows franctically.

"Pervy sage." He exclaimed after opening the curtains. Jiraiya turned to look to at him with a smile and jumped towards the window. The giant toad Gamabunta disappearing in a cloud of smoke behind him.

"Hey there." Jiraiya waved before settling down on the window sill.

"What are you doing back in the village?" Naruto asked in confusion and moved back to his bed.

"What? Can't I visit my favourite student once in a while?" Jiraiya asked in amusement. His eyes scanning the boy's injuries critically. "How are you doing kiddo?"

"I am fine." Naruto smiled at the concern in his master's voice.

"Good. Because what I have to tell you is very important." Naruto focussed on his Master instantly. "I have just received some disturbing news. From now on, you are my only student and I have to make a full-fledged shinobi out of you in three years."

"What are you talking about?" Naruto asked in confusion. "Why three years?"

"You remember Itachi and Kisame from Akatsuki?" Jiraiya continued without waiting for an answer. "They are going to make their move in three or four years and one of their targets is you."

Naruto's eyes widened as he remembered freezing up in front of those monsters. He remembered how helpless he felt when he witnessed Itachi destroying Sasuke in a matter of minutes.

_How will I be able to face them when I couldn't even defeat Sasuke even with some of Kyuubi's power?_ His fists clenched at the painful reminder of his recent defeat.

"That is very worrying." Naruto looked at his clenched fist and wondered. "Will I be ready by then Pervy sage?"

Jiraiya looked at the boy in confusion. He was sure he would have to listen to the boy rant about how it was his responsibility to save the Uchiha. Maybe Tsunade was correct about the boy re-evaluating his priorities. _It's good to see that you are growing up, Naruto._

"Of course, you will be ready. Who do you think I am, you cheeky brat?" Jiraiya laughed. He was glad that Naruto chose to walk a different path.

Jiraiya smiled as he stared at the sunset. He was glad that he wouldn't have to hold back on training to ensure that the brat would not run after dangerous enemies in hopes of finding a lead to his friend. But, just to be sure.

"What about your friend?" He turned to watch his student stare at his bandaged body.

"What about him?" Naruto asked with a frown.

"Don't you want to go save him from Orochimaru?" He asked and watched his reaction closely. Naruto rubbed his shoulder with a thoughtful look on his face. _Probably a parting gift from his friend. _

"Nah, I don't think he will need my help." Naruto declared with a smile. "Sasuke is smart enough to realize what Orochimaru wants from him. He will be fine. Probably."

_Even if he has achieved immortality, his body will still decay._ Kimimaro's words rang in his head. He will need a new vessel soon.

"So, you are aware of the gruesome details of Orochimaru's work, huh?" Jiraiya concluded with a frown.

"Immortality." Naruto confirmed as the words of Kimimaro, the bone user, echoed in his head again. "Do you know about it too?"

"Of course, I do." Jiraiya affirmed. "I have chased after Orochimaru for a long time, kiddo. I have received word that Orochimaru ran out of time and had to use another body. Your friend Sasuke is safe for at least three years or at least as long as that body can survive Orochimaru's possession."

"You have a pretty good idea about the workings of his justu, huh." Naruto mused. "Well, it doesn't matter. I am glad Sasuke is safe but there is nothing I can do about it." _I still owe him for that chidori. _

"I am glad that you decided to forget about your friend." Jiraiya said in a frank manner. "Sasuke went to Orochimaru out of his own free will. There is nothing you could have done or said that would've made him come back to the village."

"I have seen plenty of Shinobi in my time, Naruto. Sasuke and Orochimaru are more alike than you think." Naruto watched his sensei curiously.

Naruto knew that Orochimaru was his sensei's teammate and he knew that Jiraiya spent years chasing after his friend. But he could have never guessed that that failure weighed so heavily on his master's conscience. Then again, Orochimaru's name was infamous for his cruelty and disgusting experiments.

He certainly looked creepy enough in the body of a woman when he encountered him in the Forest of Death. _By gods, that sounded so wrong._ He remembered all the things Shikamaru said about the man when he talked to him before the third round of chunin exams. Some of things Shikamaru mentioned made him green in the face.

_Would you partake in those things as well, Sasuke?_ Naruto wondered about the man his friend chose to follow. No, it was a good thing he decided to forget about his friend. Sasuke would certainly be a criminal the next time he saw him. That is, if the village didn't declare him one first.

"Both of them are willing to do anything, use any means necessary to acquire their goals." Jiraiya told his student. In normal circumstances, he would have not said the next bit but he was certain that Naruto was mature enough to handle the reality of their world. He wanted to ensure that Naruto knew about the man his friend chose to follow out of his own free will.

"Naruto, you are aware that Orochimaru was my teammate, aren't you?" Jiraiya turned to stare at the sunset again. "Pay attention, I don't like speaking about this."

Naruto straightened abruptly. In the short time that he knew Jiraiya, he was rarely serious. Jiraiya didn't share stories about his past instead he focussed on telling outlandish adventures where he saved the day at the last moment or tried to make him join on his peeping activities.

"Were you aware that at one point in time, Orochimaru was the main candidate for the seat of fourth Hokage?" Naruto's eyes widened when he heard that. And as much as he wanted to deny the possibility of his hero, Minato Namikaze, having a rival but he held his tongue back and listened patiently.

"Shocking, isn't it?" Jiraiya chuckled. "The cruellest man I have ever known was considered to have absolute control over Konoha's military. Imagine the horror's that man would have brought." _Especially when he was working with the likes of Danzo Shimura. _

"It was fortunate that the Third Hokage recognized his lust of power for what it was. My student was considered as the main candidate after I refused the position. And then the darkness Orochimaru had came to light."

Jiraiya sighed and took a sip a sake directly from the bottle he procured from somewhere. "Third Hokage always hoped to dissuade him from his apparent path. But even he realised that Orochimaru was a lost cause."

"Some time after Third Hokage announced Minato Namikaze as his successor, Orochimaru became less discreet in his actions. He began experimenting on children he kidnapped from surrounding villages."

"He went so far to experiment on his comrades as well as prisoners. All in his pursuit of immortality." Jiraiya took another gulp of his sake as he tried to drown the memory of reading those reports for himself.

"Eventually, he was caught red handed by Lord Third who forced him out of the village." Jiraiya couldn't bring himself to admit that Lord Third lacked the will to kill Orochimaru for his crimes just like he was unable to do so.

"Despite being injured, Orochimaru was able to escape the Fire country. Just like you, I begged my friend to reconsider when we fought. And just like your attempt, it fell on deaf ears. I was defeated because I held back in the hope of capturing him while trying to change his mind."

Jiraiya stared at the darkening sky with a frown. "Well, you can guess what happened after that. I chased after him for years. Each time, Orochimaru slipped away and I was left with carnage he left behind. He destroyed villages, kidnapped and experimented on children and adults alike all for the sake of his ambition."

"For years, I felt guilty about the lives he took for his sick. You know what he told me when he clashed once? He said that I was aware of his true nature. And that I could've stopped him long before it got to that point if I was not blinded by my emotions." Naruto stared at his sensei in concern.

"He called me a 'Sentimental fool' who chose to ignore what was in front of him because of his bonds. Heh, you know Naruto, I spent years trying to figure out why Orochimaru betrayed the village in the way he did. I don't know why I did it. Maybe I hoped that if I undid whatever it was then he would come back. But I never come up with anything."

"So, do you realize why I am telling you all this?" Jiraiya glanced back to look at his student's confused face. "I am telling you all this so you could understand the kind of person Orochimaru is. He is cruel, ruthless, a monster who cares for no one other than himself."

"He is the kind of person who would find sick amusement on sending his underlings to a suicide mission. And the only thing he would feel remorse about would be the failure of the mission." Jiraiya sighed and took another gulp of his sake.

"He would send his underlings to destroy villages and kill everyone there to test their resolve and strength. Sick, isn't it. And he killed them for their failures."

"This is the kind of person your friend chose to follow willingly." Jiraiya stared in his eyes and hoped that the point he made was understood. "Don't be too surprised if you don't recognize your friend when you, eventually, meet again."

Naruto stared back with equal intensity before answering curtly. "Hai, sensei."

"Well then, I am off." Jiraiya muttered and waved before disappearing in a whirlwind of leaves.

"Rasengan is the ultimate form of chakra form manipulation. You can use it to improve your chakra control." Jiraiya's advice echoed in the wind after he disappeared.

It took a while but Naruto grinned when he finally understood the importance of chakra control. _I am not allowed to do physical training but no one told me to not practise chakra control._ That night his room flashed with glowing blue lights at regular intervals as he created and maintained Rasengan as long as he could.

**-]-**


	2. Chapter 2

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**Chapter 2 Weakness**

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Naruto did his best to ignore Shikamaru's amused smirk as he wiggled in his constraints. He heard him snort in amusement from where he was writing his report.

"Oi, Shikamaru," Naruto called after a few moments of trying to escape. "Help me out here."

"Why?" Shikamaru glanced at the struggling boy. "You should be able to get out of those pretty easily. The Rope-Escape technique was the very first jutsu they taught us at the academy. Don't you remember?"

Naruto refused to answer that. His struggle increased with his frustration to remember the technique. The ropes binding him to the bed tightened until he couldn't move anymore.

"Tch, how troublesome." Shikamaru wondered how the blond survived so far as a ninja if he was so reckless. "First you exhaust your chakra doing something all night and then you sneak out to eat ramen, of all things. No wonder you are so short if your idea of breakfast is ramen." Naruto glared indignantly at the last comment and huffed. As far as he was concerned, ramen was all he needed.

"Honestly, Naruto." Shikamaru sighed and threw a small scroll on 'escape techniques' to the boy. "How did you even graduate from the academy?" He asked rhetorically. It was a good thing he saw Naruto getting dragged back to the hospital, bound in ropes, that morning. He wouldn't have bothered to bring that scroll otherwise.

Naruto flinched at the reminder of his unorthodox graduation. It was true that the only reason he managed to graduate was that he managed to learn a high-level forbidden jutsu and helped apprehend a traitor.

He was certain that he would have been branded as one too if it wasn't for Iruka-sensei diffusing the situation and allowing him to graduate as a ninja. He did not need a reminder of that night.

He managed to open the scroll, bound as he was to the bed, and tried to understand the technique again, as best as he could. After reading for a few minutes, he turned to stare at his friend.

"Oi, Shikamaru." Naruto frowned and then gulped. This was something that had been on his mind for some time now. "Do you think I am a weak ninja?"

"What brought this on, Naruto?" Shikamaru asked in concern. He knew his remark about the unconventional way of his graduation did not affect Naruto. He knew Naruto brushed off those japes without a second thought.

"I am curious. And it's not just because of Sasuke or the last mission. I have often been told that I am foolish and too headstrong, that I am a lazy excuse of a ninja by many strong people. And it got me thinking. Am I a good ninja?" Naruto stared at his bounded body and gestured to it. _Kabuto, Orochimaru, even Kakashi remarked that I was a loud-mouthed idiot when we first met. _

Shikamaru took a careful look at his friend. He realized that Naruto was at a crossroad. Just like him, Naruto was at a point where he was wondering whether he was cut out to be a shinobi or not. And unlike him, Naruto didn't have a parent figure who could help him out.

"Are you sure I am the right person to ask such a question, Naruto?" Shikamaru asked pensively. "After all, I am not a combat type ninja, you know. I specialize in stalling and capturing enemies, not direct battles like you." He made sure to not mention Team Seven, knowing that it was a touchy subject.

"I think so," Naruto said carefully. "I mean, you are one of the smartest people I know, Shikamaru. And I think you would have a different opinion than most. They would usually tell me that I am an idiot or something like that. I can't improve if I am not told what I am doing wrong."

_Don't rush in. Focus on chakra control. Work on improving your teamwork. _These recommendations were fine and all but he couldn't get strong individually like that. His skill-set didn't leave him much choice other than to rush in when he had the chance. A team was only as strong as its weakest member. And he didn't want to be a burden.

Once his opponents realized that he was a close-range fighter, then there was no way he would get the chance to get close. Contrary to popular belief, Naruto was aware that he was weak against long-range fighters and that he wasn't fast enough to get close without getting hit.

"Tch, how troublesome." Shikamaru continued writing a report while considering how best to handle this situation. "Strong or weak is a relative term, Naruto."

Knowing that his friend won't understand it right away, he gave an example. "Look at it this way. In normal circumstances, you shouldn't be able to defeat either Kiba, Neji or Gaara in a one-on-one fight. You have improved as a ninja, don't get me wrong. You are not just as versatile as you should be for a frontline fighter."

"Kiba is superior to you in taijutsu, both in skills and strength. The only reason you won against him was that you farted in his face at a critical time." Shikamaru paused for a moment before continuing.

"Well, you took advantage of your opponent's weakness as a ninja should. But you weren't aware of that, were you? It was probably a fluke that turned that match in your favour."

Naruto remembered how fast Kiba was back then. He struggled to even keep up with the guy. That guy was too fast for him to keep up with. There was hardly a chance to counter-attack when he was barely managing to dodge.

He had to resort to tricks, taking advantage of his opponent's reckless behaviour and overconfidence. _Does tricking my way to victory mean that I am strong? As a ninja maybe…_

Naruto muttered a soft affirmation as he remembered duking it out with Kiba. Yes, Kiba was starting to gain an upper hand in their battle. No, Naruto was not aware of that particular weakness. Or at least he wouldn't have thought of using it in that match.

_How long will being underestimated work in my favour? Orochimaru considered me a genuine threat and I would've died if it wasn't for Granny Tsunade. _He remembered learning about that from Shizune after he woke up. If it wasn't for her, he would probably be dead. Either due to Kabuto's attack or because Orochimaru wanted to get rid of him.

"Heh. I remember you being turned into Kiba's training dummy while desperately trying to get a chance to use your jutsu." Shikamaru shook his head. "And then you farted your way to victory." He chuckled at his friend's red face.

Naruto would have tried to hide his red face if he wasn't tied to the bed. And struggling only tightened the damned ropes. He came to that conclusion when he could do nothing to avoid that.

"Then there was your fight with Neji Hyuga in the final round of chunin exams. It was very impressive that you were able to hold your own against the Hyuga prodigy, Naruto. It truly was. Up until the moment I learned that you were trained by a Legendary Sannin for a whole month."

"Don't get me wrong, Naruto. It is a great feat in and of itself that you got such high-level shinobi to even train you. But when you look at it critically, you were too reckless in that fight to be trained by a shinobi of that stature. You took too many hits. You have a lot of endurance, I get it. But after some point, it's just foolish recklessness."

Shikamaru sighed. He didn't want to speak of his friend's weakness when he couldn't have done half the things Naruto did. But Naruto asked his opinion and the only way to answer was honestly.

Unlike him, Naruto was part of a frontline combat squad. Sooner or later, he would have to correct these quirks or risk the mission and life of his comrades.

"And then you were defeated. Yes, you were defeated, like it or not." Shikamaru frowned when he thought back to that moment. "Naruto, there is no way a normal person, ninja or not, would be able to move after getting that many of his tenketsu closed."

"There is a reason that the Gentle Fist taijutsu of the Hyuga clan is feared throughout the five nations. It is the most reputable and fearsome taijutsu style in all of Konoha for that reason." Shikamaru tried his best to drive the point in his friend's thick head.

"The only reason you succeeded in your sneak attack on Neji Hyuga was that he might have assumed that you won't be able to move after having so many of tenketsu points blocked. Getting a sneak attack on a user of the all-seeing Byakyugan is impossible when their byakugan is active."

"I don't know how you reopened them Naruto. But it is usually impossible to even move after getting so many tenketsu closed." Shikamaru stared at him incredulously for a few moments and asked. "How did you do that anyway?"

Naruto stared at his hands as he remembered begging for Kyuubi's help again when he couldn't win with his skills. And once again, his strength was not enough in a fight. He remembered the malicious chakra flowing through his body.

He remembered the way the malicious chakra painfully opened the closed tenketsu points in his body. The lust for more power, the overpowering sense of hatred… he remembered feeling all those things with a clouded mind.

_Can't I win any fight without begging the Nine-tails for his help? _Naruto wondered to himself. The answer that came back was negative. He remembered that he was only able to defeat Haku after he channelled Kyuubi's chakra. _Sasuke almost sacrificed himself to save me._

The only reason he could stand up against Orochimaru in the Forbidden forest was Kyuubi. He was able to outsmart Kiba and win with a lot of ridiculous luck on his part. He needed Kyuubi's help again to fight against Neji when he should have been defeated.

And again, he required Kyuubi's help to even the battlefield against Gaara. Come to think of it, the only fight where he didn't even get the chance to beg the Nine-tails for his help was when he foolishly challenged Tsunade Senju, one of the Legendary Sannin.

And got his ass handed back to him on a silver platter with a cherry on the top. Half drunk and a decade out of practice, it only took a finger for Tsunade to defeat him. He even struggled against Kimimaro when he faced him. He had no way to deal with his foe's projectile bones. He knew that. The way he struggled in that fight proved that.

He truly was a pathetic excuse of a ninja without Kyuubi. _I am weak. I can't win a single fight without begging for Kyuubi's help. How pathetic. _Kyuubi's amused laughter echoed in his head.

"I don't know much about your fight with Gaara. But I know for sure that there is no way that someone who couldn't even perform a simple clone jutsu, could perform a Summoning jutsu with just a single month of training without help for an external source." Naruto stared at the scroll in his hands resolutely.

"Tch, you don't have enough chakra control for that. Heck, no twelve-year-old should have enough chakra and control to summon a mountain-sized Toad." Shikamaru stared at his friend carefully, knowing full well that he wasn't going to get any answers that day.

"This is what I have observed so far, Naruto. You can decide whether you are weak or strong for yourself." Shikamaru folded his scrolls and stood up. "I am sure that deep down, you are aware of your shortcomings as a ninja, just as I am of mine. You don't need me to tell you about it."

Shikamaru stared at his friend for a few moments. "Well, I am off. I have these reports to submit. How Troublesome." He left after getting no answer.

**-]|[-**

Naruto frowned after another failed attempt at getting free from his bonds. He sighed and remembered how easy it was for Sasuke to get out of his restraints when he got the jump on him when their team formed.

His mind went back to Sakura's visit after Shikamaru left and he tried to escape again. _I won't be so useless again. _Her words rang in his head. _I wonder what's going on with that girl. _He wondered.

"Hey there." Naruto jumped at the sudden greeting from his sensei and turned to see him eating fruits from a basket Shikamaru left for him. _When did he get here? I couldn't even sense him. _Yet another reminder of his lack of skills.

"I hear you snuck out, huh. You seem eager to start training." Jiraiya remarked casually and glanced outside the window. He saw Sakura walk away with her shoulder's squared. _She seems determined. I wonder…_

"Hey, that's mine," Naruto exclaimed in outrage but Jiraiya continued to eat.

"Atta boy, you seem to be recovering well. I think you are ready for some one-on-one training with yours truly." Jiraiya smirked before standing up.

"Really, Pervy sage?" Naruto asked eagerly. "Get me out of these ropes then. What are you waiting for? Come on."

"Yeah, well, I am not going to do that." Jiraiya shrugged carelessly. "You have fifteen minutes to escape from this hospital and get to the river where we practised your Summoning jutsu. See ya."

"Hey, wait," Naruto shouted as Jiraiya disappeared in a burst of smoke. "That's not fair. Get me out of here. Gah, stupid ropes. Take that." He muttered and started biting the ropes in an attempt to free himself.

**-]|[-**

Jiraiya waited for his pupil to show up with a frown. Naruto's conversation with Shikamaru repeated like a record in his head.

_Was it a good thing to make the kid rely on the Kyuubi's power? Am I using a shortcut to make the brat strong? _Jiraiya asked himself.

_Your fight seemed impressive. Up until I learned that you were trained by a legendary Sannin. _Shikamaru spoke correctly when he claimed that Naruto should have fought better than that against his opponent.

_Sure, the kid used some clever little tricks and tried his best to stay out of the Hyuga's range. But after being trained by a legendary Sannin, he should have been able to handle one Hyuga. Prodigy or not. _Jiraiya sighed in frustration.

_Maybe that Nara kid was right about it._ _I should focus on making the brat a proper shinobi before I make him use Kyuubi's power. _It would not do any good if the kid constantly relied on Kyuubi's power instead of his own. That whole idea was based on Kyuubi's co-operation. Naruto was dead the moment Kyuubi decided not to help.

_What would happen if his next opponent knew how to subdue Kyuubi? _Jiraiya remembered how easy it was for someone like Orochimaru to break the connection between Naruto and Kyuubi with a well-placed seal.

Fuinjutsu was not as rare as it was believed to be. There were still plenty of great Fuinjutsu practitioners throughout the five nations. And the other hidden villages must have developed ways to subdue jinchuriki. After all, some villages even possessed two of them.

_Besides, if the information is correct then Kyuubi's power is almost useless against Itachi and Kisame._ They seemed to be a perfect pair to subdue the Kyuubi's jinchuriki. Or any jinchuriki for that matter.

Itachi Uchiha was a master of genjutsu. And from what he had seen so far, Naruto was absolutely rubbish when it came to detecting and performing genjutsu. If the rumours about Itachi's 'Mangekyo Sharingan' were true then he might be able to subdue the Nine-tails with just genjutsu.

_The black flames of Amaterasu and a genjutsu that could effectively trap someone in their own mind. That's Mangekyo alright. _Jiraiya wondered if Itachi Uchiha could control a tailed beast with his genjutsu.

Then there was his partner Kisame Hoshikage. The Monster of the Hidden Mist. The man was reputed for his strength and massive chakra reserves. His sword 'Samehada' was able to absorb chakra from its opponents. No, these two were perfect for fighting against any jinchuriki.

Naruto didn't have just those two coming after him. No, there was a whole organization made of these monsters after what Naruto contained. He wondered who their leader was. The man must be pretty powerful if he could keep monsters like those in line.

Heck, only two of them were able to deal with Konoha's elite and escape without much trouble from the middle of the village. Imagine what their leader was capable of. _And that is a scary thought in and of itself._

"Took you long enough," Jiraiya remarked and jumped on the surface of the water. With some chakra manipulation, his voice was heard over the roar of the waterfall behind him.

Naruto breathed heavily. "Phew, made it just in time." He was wearing a black hoodie and blue pants. Contrary to Jiraiya's expectations, Naruto kept the bandages intact. Well, medic ninjas were scary when they wanted to be.

_Let's see how much you have progressed. _"Did you manage to relearn the escape technique?" He was pleased to see his student nod his head. "Good. Now get here and show me what you've got. It's time I start training you seriously. Come at me with the intent to kill."

"Alright, Pervy sage." Naruto cheered and rushed on the surface of the river. "Just you wait. This time I will show you how strong I have gotten."

_Test one- Taijutsu. _Jiraiya watched impassively as the boy rushed towards him with his right hand pulled back. _Predictable, sloppy and slow. _He leaned back and waited idly for the punch to pass before slamming his knee in his student's stomach without remorse.

Spittle flew out of his mouth and Naruto felt the wind knock out his body. _That hit was harder than usual. More powerful too. _His body flew back but he didn't get any chance to regain his balance and try again as Jiraiya appeared in front of him with his fist pulled back.

Jiraiya heard the satisfying sound of Naruto's nose breaking under his fist as the boy was thrown away from him. _Hmm, his chakra control is getting better. A few months ago, he would have drowned in the river after a hit like that. _He watched impassively as the boy stood up on shaky legs and tried to regain his bearings.

"Wy nowse." Naruto moaned, holding his broken nose. He was certain he saw ramen bowls circling over his head. _Dammit, I couldn't even see him move. _It took a few more seconds for him to regain his bearings. Gritting his teeth, he set his nose back in its position and wiped his bloody hands on his pants.

"Lesson one- Restrain. Don't rush into fights like a reckless idiot." Jiraiya spread his feet apart and crouched low. "Think before you make a move."

Naruto nodded. _Let me guess. You got reckless and went on half-cocked again, huh?_ Sakura's scathing remark echoed in his mind. _I got overconfident again. _He clenched his fists and tried to think of a way to get close to his foe that didn't involve rushing in headfirst.

"Lesson two- don't space out in the middle of a fight." Jiraiya disappeared in a burst of chakra enhanced speed and appeared behind him. "Your opponent is not going to give you enough time to think. He will attack and counter-attack at his own pace. And you are done if you space out in the middle of a fight."

Naruto's eyes widened but before he could try and get some distance between them, he felt something slam in his back with the full force of a charging bull. His body was thrown across the river before his mind could comprehend anything. He cried in pain when he felt the hard ground beneath him. He stopped only when he slammed into a tree.

Jiraiya sighed and lowered his leg. _His reflexes should be better than this. What has Kakashi been doing with the brat? _He idly wondered as he watched his current punching bag regain his bearings. _He can't even track Shushin no Jutsu at chunin level. His awareness is that of a newly minted genin._

Naruto groaned in pain. _I am going to feel that in the morning. _He removed the splinters from his hands and back with a flinch. "Alright then. You asked for this, Pervy Sage. **Shadow clone jutsu**." Three clones rushed towards his opponent from a burst of smoke. The original stayed behind trying to think of a way to handle that spar.

_Test two- Ninjutsu. _"Diversionary tactics, huh?" Jiraiya mused idly, watching the clones rush towards him. "Clever but not good enough." He leaned back to avoid the first clone's punch then ducked a flying kick from another.

"Still very predictable." He muttered and jumped while grabbing the clones, who could not regain balance from their overpowered and overextended attacks. _Note to self, teach him not to put too much effort in a single hit._

"Where did he go?" The third clone emerged from the water and looked around in confusion.

"Up here." One of the clones in Jiraiya's grip shouted a warning. Only for it to be a bit late as Jiraiya threw them at the clueless clone. Their panicked screams were cut-off abruptly as they burst into a cloud of smoke upon collision.

"Hoh, Bringing the big guns out already?" Jiraiya muttered in amusement as he landed and jumped again to dodge a **Rasengan** from his student. _How many ninjutsu does this kid know anyway?_

"Dammit, I missed," Naruto muttered with a small smile as his plan took form. He turned around quickly and watched with a growing sense of success as his teacher was stuck with multiple kunai and shuriken from behind.

"I did it." He whispered as his foe fell with a look of surprise on his face. Only for his eye to widen in surprise as the body was replaced by logs. "A **Substitution Justu**." He exclaimed in astonishment, only to freeze up when he felt something hold his legs in a vice grip.

"Did you actually think it would be that easy, arrogant brat?" Jiraiya emerged from under the water and kicked him right between his legs. "And that's for your arrogance." He watched in amusement as the boy's face went through several expressions of agony before he burst into smoke.

"Now's my chance," Naruto muttered and watched as Jiraiya emerged out of the water and grabbed his clone. He rushed to sneak behind him with a kunai. Halfway through, he felt the phantom pain of being kicked in the crotch. He saw himself being ruthlessly kicked by his master.

Jiraiya watched as the original Naruto paused in his charge and covered his privates awkwardly. _So, he doesn't know about this little trick yet, huh. I wonder how long will it take for the brat to realize it and use it to accelerate his training. _Yep, the boy was going to think about that kick for a long time.

"That's cruel, Pervy sage," Naruto muttered and fell on the water surface, trying to get the horrible memories out of his head. He heard Jiraiya laugh at his agony in amusement.

"Can't handle a little pain, eh?" Jiraiya shook his head and wondered if this was the first time a trick like that was pulled on the brat. _Haven't met a vicious kunoichi yet, huh?_ He remembered how many female ninjas used that move in his days. That was why proper protection was recommended. "Remember to use a guard next time, brat."

"Oi, brat?" He called after a moment when Naruto managed to shake off the memory and stand up. "How many ninjutsu have you actually mastered?" _He has used nothing but Shadow clones, Summoning Justu and Rasengan in the time I have known him. He cannot perform two out of those three perfectly. Does he even know anything else? _This was an issue that has been bugging him for some time now.

"Well, I can perform Substitution, Transformation, Summoning, Shadow clones and Rasengan. Why do you ask?" Naruto tilted his head curiously.

"That's a very small repertoire for a frontline fighter." Jiraiya mused idly. "Didn't Kakashi teach you any jutsu? Shushin? Elemental ninjutsu? Anything?" _Fuinjutsu? _He waved his hands in exasperation when Naruto stared back with a blank look.

"Dammit, Kakashi." Jiraiya sighed, "Alright, brat. Show me your Substitution jutsu." And without warning, he threw multiple kunai at his target. Deciding to take it up a notch, he quickly performed a **shuriken** **shadow clone technique**.

"Gah, give me a moment," Naruto shouted in panic when dozens of shuriken flew towards him. "What were the hand seals again?" He shouted in panic. "Tiger- Boar- Ox- Snake, no. That's not right. Tiger- Boar- Ox- Dog- Snake."

A kunai pierced his thigh just before he could substitute himself. Wincing, he removed the kunai from his thigh and wrapped a piece of cloth to stop the bleeding temporarily. He watched his sensei stand on the water surface with a frown on his face.

_Test three- Self-control. _"So, you can't do it without hand seals and instantaneously, huh?" Jiraiya remarked with a disappointed frown, knowing full well that his student was watching him from the bushes.

"How disappointing. It's E-rank ninjutsu taught in the academy. Tch. Then again, you didn't remember the rope-escape technique. Guess that is what I should expect from you."

Naruto's face reddened in shame but he refrained from shouting back, as he was used to doing whenever someone pointed out his weakness.

_I always thought that it was a useless jutsu. But Jiraiya sensei and even Kakashi sensei used it expertly to avoid getting hit by their foes and get them to lower their guard. I need more information._

"You know, I can see why you lost to your friend." Jiraiya mused, idly rubbing his chin. "You are weak. If anything, I am surprised you survived as long as you did as a ninja. Did your team need to come to save you every time you did something reckless?" Jiraiya used chakra to heighten his senses. He knew what could happen if the boy lost himself to his rage.

Naruto stiffened in surprise. He would've never imagined that he would hear that from Jiraiya of all people. Blood dripped down his palm as he dug his nails in the palm of his hands. He bit his lips, desperately trying to stop his eyes from watering.

"I can understand why Kakashi chose Sasuke over you." Jiraiya knew that what he was saying was out of line and wrong in context. But he wanted to ensure that the kid had the will power to control his emotions. A shinobi driven by his emotions was easy to defeat and manipulate.

He wanted to be sure that the kid was ready to stop playing as a ninja. _Can you suck it up and learn to look underneath the surface, Naruto?_

"You remember that, don't you?" Naruto's whisker-like marks thickened as he heard his sensei. _Sorry, Naruto. But I already promised to train Sasuke. _Kakashi's words echoed in his head. _The sound of a thousand chirping birds…_

"How did it feel, Naruto?" Jiraiya pushed on, heedless of the effect his words would have soon. "How did it feel knowing that the one your sensei favoured chose to leave the village because he wasn't satisfied with his progress?"

Naruto's eyes turned blood-red with slits and his mind clouded with rage.

_Weak. _An intoxicating feeling filled his body.

_Pathetic. _Potent, powerful chakra boiled out of his body and took form around him.

_A failure_. He felt an unquenchable thirst for blood and destruction. To prove that he wasn't a failure. A desire to make him eat those words.

Deep inside his body, the giant fox opened an eye as the boy's rage and hatred drew on his power. _How interesting. _He roared with laughter.

_Let me out, Naruto._

**-]|[-**


	3. Chapter 3

In which gaining power is not as simple as asking for rent…

**Disclaimer- **Don't own it.

**-[-**

**Chapter 3**

**-[-**

Jiraiya tensed when he felt an overwhelming pressure settle in the clearing. The very air thickened with the malicious presence of the nine-tailed fox. It was heavy and suffocating and reminded him of his brief encounter with Roshi during the third war.

_Is the seal weakening?_ He wondered, feeling uneasy at the mere thought. _It seems that the fox has more influence over him when he is emotionally vulnerable. Maybe I should focus on helping him keep his emotions in check. But, I wonder… _

Jiraiya sensed another presence close-in to their location. But whoever it was, remained in the shadows. Now that he thought about it, he probably should have alerted the village beforehand. No matter, he couldn't do anything about it now, anyway. Pushing those worries to the back of his mind, he focused on riling up his student, carefully noting the way the corrosive chakra affected him and the nature around them.

"How did that feel, Naruto?" He tried again when he heard no response. "How did it feel to fight your friend like that? How did it feel knowing that he was using the techniques and knowledge your own teacher denied you?"

Thick, red chakra bubbled out of his body in the form of a one-tailed fox. It cloaked around him, clouding his thoughts with its anger and lust for destruction.

_Destroy him, Naruto! Are you going to stand and take this abuse like you always have? I know how much you desire to rip him into tiny little pieces._ The nine-tailed fox whispered and continued to feed its chakra through the seal. It took great delight in feeling its influence on the boy grow. It smiled darkly when the seal holding it back opened just a bit more.

_Don't you want to prove him wrong? Don't you want to show him that you are not some pathetic sidekick, Naruto? Didn't you claim that you would show them all? Or were they right all those years ago?_ Another tail formed in his cloak. The whisker-like marks on his face thickened. A low, animalistic growl came from the boy. _Let me help you. Take it… my power… Don't you want to?_

Naruto crouched low, intending to, once again, charge in headfirst. His thoughts seemed unclear and hazy but they revolved around his desire to spill blood. Voices kept whispering in his ears.

They called him weak. He wasn't.

They called him pathetic. He wasn't.

He wasn't an idiot. But the voices wouldn't listen. They were familiar in their arrogance. They were familiar in their mocking tone. They were familiar like the whispers behind his back.

He wanted the voices to shut up.

And suddenly, he wasn't looking at his mentor. He was a seven-year-old looking at those villagers staring at him with cruel, uncaring eyes and hurting deep inside even as he tried to smile.

_Don't talk to him… Stay away from that boy… _He saw parents pulling their children away from him as if he carried some disease they didn't want to get infected with.

_Look at him, walking around the village as if he is one of us…_ He remembered the hushed whispers, spoken behind his back when they thought he couldn't hear them. He remembered them leaving in a hurry as soon as they noticed him. And it hurt just as much as it did when he then.

_Get away from here, you brat._ He remembered getting thrown out of shops. _And take that stupid mask with you._ He remembered people watching with uncaring eyes. Not one of them willing to lift a finger to help the poor orphan.

Each insult, every sneer and every whisper… He could remember the nights he cried himself to sleep. Alone, uncertain and scared… so very scared. He remembered returning to an empty home and wondering about his parents. He found himself trapped in an endless loop of memories he had buried deep inside him.

Everything he was certain he had forgotten rushed to the forefront as if it was always there. And every bitter memory he wanted to forget came back with it. Try as he might, he couldn't push it back this time.

He focused on anything and everything in the vain hope of stopping the pain. Alas, his struggle was in vain, for everything he tried to make it go away, he spiralled deeper. Each memory feeding his darker desires, helping him draw more of the fox's power. And as he drew on its power, the seal opened a bit more and its influence over him grew.

Deep inside its cage, the fox laughed. _Just a little bit more and we will destroy everyone who'll dare to stand in our way._ It whispered enticingly, pulling more memories to torment the boy with. It enjoyed twisting those memories and paying the rent.

Another memory came to him, this time it was Lord Third denying him the knowledge of his parent's identity. _There is no use asking about them._ He was told uncaringly. _It won't bring the dead back._

His blood boiled as remembered the casual dismissal of his queries. His origins weren't insignificant! Not to him. And another tail bubbled on his back.

"How did it feel when you couldn't defeat your friend?" Jiraiya asked again, blissfully unaware of his turmoil. _Now, show me that will, kid. Deny that power. Break free of its corrupting influence._ "How did it feel when you couldn't defeat him even with your special power?" He yelled desperately when even breathing became a bit difficult.

He felt a sudden spike in the chakra and then the sheer weight of the fox's presence focussed on him. He almost fell to his knees then. His eyes widened in terror at the sheer amount of hate he could feel.

And just for a moment, he found himself walking amongst the carnage left behind by the Iwa jinchuriki. The stench of burnt flesh was still fresh in mind. So was the sight of unrecognizable bodies left behind by the berserk jinchuriki. He felt despair when he realized he could have done more. But he willed himself out of it. Naruto was not Roshi. No, their kid was so much stronger than that.

_Show me their will, boy. Show me the true power they left you with._ He remembered the smiling faces of his student and his wife when they chose him to be their son's godfather. _Show me… you are the true legacy they left behind._

_The fiery redhead from the land of Whirlpools and the yellow Hokage of the Hidden Leaf… Will you follow their footsteps or walk a path all of your own?_ A small smile formed on his face when the malicious, malevolent presence of nine-tails disappeared completely.

Naruto found himself lost in a crowd of voices abusing him, belittling him and reminding him of his failures. He was drowning in a sea of sorrow and despair and hate when he heard a voice. It was louder than the others, more real, and he latched onto it.

He flinched when he heard his teacher calling him out for his use of the fox's chakra. He ignored the voices through sheer will when they got louder. It was agonizing and he could feel his body burning with desire when he rejected the delicious power.

The fog lifted and his desire to bring death and destruction on anyone and everyone felt like a dream. A frighteningly real dream but a dream none the less. He was thrilled and scared. The bloodlust clouding his senses disappeared with the cloak of blood-red chakra surrounding his body.

The beast snarled hatefully. Blood-red eyes glared at the Toad Sage, promising vengeance and destruction. And as it returned to the darker depths of its cage, it knew it would gain his freedom soon. The village… their legacy and everything they stood for… it would burn. Oh, it would burn. In their death, it would make them regret sealing it. They would all regret. All five of them would.

The voices were quiet now. He could remember much of his fight with Sasuke now. Some moments felt real, others seemed as if they were from some dream. _No. They were real. There were real wings on his back. How did he manage that? Was that the power Orochimaru promised him? _It did matter then, he realized. He was able to fight him on even grounds. He had grown and he hoped to walk that path.

_I matched him blow for blow. Even with all his jutsu, I was able to push him to his limits. I forced him to use Orochimaru's power. I..._

"I am better than this," Naruto muttered angrily. "You are wrong, sensei," He yelled and limped towards his teacher from his hiding place.

"What are you talking about?" Jiraiya watched intensely as his student limped towards him. One of his sleeves was torn at the shoulders and wrapped around his thigh. He noted the blood dripping down his leg.

If he had not known of his monstrous stamina, he was certain the kid would have fallen over by now. The boy looked like he had been put through a wringer. And maybe he was. He had no idea how he managed to suppress so much its chakra. His shoulders were slumped and he seemed to be having some trouble with breathing.

And despite his rather injured state, he had never reminded Jiraiya so much of his parents as he did then. The boy looked dead on his feet. So exhausted, yet unwilling to back down.

He was, oddly, reminded of the time he spent with his late student and his wife when they were trying to achieve the impossible and create space-time ninjutsu. The only space-time jutsu the world was aware of was the summoning technique. It took time but it was worth it when the Flying thunder god took the world by storm. Both of them had worked themselves beyond the breaking point for that. _Stubborn fools, the lot of them._

The winds picked up, and he noticed the look on his student's face. _You are their son alright._ He wanted to laugh. _Are you watching over your son, Minato, Kushina? _

His eyes widened when he saw the figures of his student and his wife standing behind their son. He could see the pride in their eyes as they watched their son with a fond smile. They were gone by the time he blinked in surprise.

_We leave him in your care, Master Jiraiya._ He was sure he heard them when the winds died.

_Genjutsu? How? When?_ He disrupted his chakra hastily. _No. There is too much chakra in the air for it to work. Besides, I would have known if I was under a genjutsu. And whatever this was, it sure wasn't an illusion. But then, what was it?_ He glanced around sceptically but found nothing amiss.

"My team didn't have to save me. We completed our missions because we were a team and gave it our all," Naruto formed the hand-seals of his signature technique. "Shadow clone jutsu." Three clones formed in a burst of smoke and rushed forwards. A few more popped underwater and swam towards the sage promptly.

Jiraiya dodged and parried the kunai thrown his way easily. He made quick work of the clones as well. "Is that so?" He mused, waiting for his student to try again.

"Kakashi sensei didn't choose Sasuke over me," He walked forward with a slight limp, making even more shadow clones. "Sasuke was going to fight Gaara, who would have killed him without a second thought. I was fighting a fellow leaf shinobi who was not out for my blood. Sasuke needed him more than me."

With the help of new clones, he formed another rasengan and rushed towards the sage. His clones followed after him with various war-cries. They covered his charge by throwing kunai and shuriken at their target.

_Test four- Bukijutsu._ He watched his student with a small smirk. _A nice improvement. Not good enough. But with your repertoire, it is as good as one can expect._ In a flurry of motion, he took out a scroll, bit his thumb and swiped some of his blood on the seals drawn in it. Quickly going through a few hand seals, he summoned his sword.

Naruto frowned, gritting his teeth when he saw the sage parry them with his sword easily. To add to the insult, he didn't even need to move a step. _It's not enough, but it should do._ He did his best to not look at the clone behind the sage.

He didn't even know his sensei could use a sword. The wide, slate grey sword had several markings that resembled veins running down its length. _It looks so cool._ Despite himself, he took a moment to admire it.

"Let's see how you deal with this," Jiraiya muttered and threw a single shuriken at his student. "Shuriken-Shadow clone jutsu," Doing the necessary hand seals, he watched the shuriken multiply into dozen copies of itself.

"This doesn't look good," Naruto faltered for a moment but continued on, believing in his clones to protect him. A few clones did their best to protect him from the projectiles while he tried to maintain control of his rasengan.

The sound of shuriken clashing against kunai filled the air, and yet he could hear his clones dispersing clearly. He was not sure how many new cuts littered his body now, but he knew he would feel that soon enough.

_Almost there._ With a clenched jaw, he ignored the pain and pushed on.

Jiraiya blocked his student's attack with the side of his sword and smirked at the look of surprise on his face. "Rasengan is strong, I admit. But, there are weapons strong enough that can defend against it very easily. You leave yourself open every time you attack with that technique against shinobi with means to block it. Take this stone sword for an example," He pushed his student away, causing his attack to disappear harmlessly, much of its power dispersed in the collision.

"This is a secret sword from Mount Myoboku. It is strong enough to survive against techniques as strong as Rasengan," The sage explained and continued before his pupil could ask the obvious question. "Mount Myoboku is where the toads we summon live."

"There are many things you can learn from them, Naruto. Try getting to know them when you summon them next time. They are not just tools for battle, you know." Naruto nodded, taking the advice to heart.

"The moment you signed that contract, they became your comrades. Cherish them as you would your friends. Now, what will you use against a foe with a weapon like this?" Jiraiya asked and once again waited for his student to make the first move.

"I don't have a weapon strong enough to match a sword like that," Naruto admitted with a glare. "But that doesn't mean I will give up." He rushed with a kunai drawn, ready to slash at his foe.

And watched with wide eyes when it broke upon hitting the sword. He felt a sharp pain shoot at his wrist and jumped back with a yelp.

"Is that all?" Jiraiya asked, easily hiding his interest. He was already aware of the clones his student had discreetly hidden under the water. He was curious enough to let the plan unfold.

_Besides, we have accomplished the reason for this weapon test._ He mused as he saw his student stare at the broken kunai thoughtfully.

Naruto didn't answer, instead, he jumped back to make more space between them. The clones hidden underneath them surrounded Jiraiya. _We don't have much time. _One of them thought and signalled the others to start their plan.

"Hoh? Changing the battlefield to suit your needs," Jiraiya remarked when he felt the currents shift beneath him. "Using Rasengan to form whirlpools? Nice," _How oddly fitting. _He remarked and jumped, easily deflecting the projectiles thrown at him by Naruto and his newly made clones.

Whirlpools formed below him. He idly wondered how he could get out of that situation without falling into those whirlpools. He had no interest in getting devoured by the whirlpools. It reminded him too much of that old legend about Uzushiogakure. He glanced at the surrounding clones.

_A clever trap, kid. He guided me away from the forest and the riverbank. Then, he made sure that I have nothing nearby to substitute myself with and then ensured that I can't go underwater to avoid his next move. Nice work indeed._

Jiraiya glanced at the dozen or so kunai thrown his way with appreciation. He took a moment to wonder if his student had accounted for the range of his substitution technique in his plan.

_Paper bombs, too. Well done, kid. This would be a very successful attack combination if he had a long-range jutsu in his repertoire._ He observed the paper bombs attached to the kunai as they burned. _A clever substitute. Not enough to do any lasting damage to the people you will be up against, though._

"I did it," Naruto whispered breathlessly as he watched his sensei get blasted by many paper bombs. He covered his face, feeling the warmth of the blast tickle at his skin. He barely managed to stay to afloat, but his clones dispersed in the resulting chaos.

"I fought Sasuke on equal grounds, Pervy Sage," He declared, knowing that his sensei could hear him. "We fought as equals while I was holding back. My mission was to capture him and bring him back. Sasuke had no such restrictions. He aimed to kill me when we fought." He didn't know why he was spared but he ignored that for now. He would have a lot of time to think about that later. Among other things.

He wiped his face with the back of his hand. Then he sighed and ran a hand through his hair and waited for the smoke to clear. He didn't think he could fight any longer. _I am tired._ He shook his head, feeling a bit dizzy.

"I resorted to using fox's power only when Sasuke used the power Orochimaru gave him. Up until that point, I didn't need the fox to fight Sasuke. Even with all his jutsu, his so-called special training, I kept up with him. I kept up with the two jutsu I had," He yelled at the shadowy figure he could see in the clearing smoke.

"The only thing I feel bad about is holding back," Naruto admitted more to himself than anyone else. "But don't worry, Pervy Sage. I won't hold back if I get to fight him again. I will bring him back to Hidden Leaf like the deserter he is, I promise."

Jiraiya smiled at the resolve in his student's voice. The spiked, hard hair covering his body receded when he stopped the technique. "Ninja Art- Needle Jizo." He murmured softly.

_I should have used a different jutsu to defend myself._ He mused, glancing at the burned skin on his right arm. _Ah, well. A small victory for the boy._ "Very well then," He nodded, satisfied for now, "Never hold back when you are fighting for your life."

"Yes, Pervy Sage," Naruto tried to take a defensive stance. His body felt weak and heavy from fatigue. He couldn't remember having a training session where he learned so much about himself. Come to think of it, he couldn't remember having a one-on-one training session ever.

_Test five- Genjutsu._ Jiraiya sighed after he saw his student's condition. He felt a bit cruel for continuing the session. But before he could begin the technique, Naruto slumped forward and fell unconscious, completely exhausted.

"Well, I guess that's it for today," He chuckled heartily and moved to save him from drowning. "Rest well, kiddo. You earned it." He moved over to dry land and set the unconscious boy down.

_I really should be able to test their kid in fuinjutsu. An Uzumaki with no skills in fuinjutsu feels wrong._ He sighed and made another mental note in the long list of things he needed to teach the kid. _The son of the best fuinjutsu practitioners I had the honour of knowing doesn't even know its basics. _

"You can come out now." He turned to where he had sensed the presence earlier. "Enjoyed the show?" He asked lightly, carefully noting their pale faces. He would be surprised if they managed to hide their unease and fear after a show like that.

Tsunade Senju walked out from the cover of trees, seemingly unconcerned, but he could see the slight apprehension in her eyes. Her apprentice, Shizune, trailing behind her with an impressed look on her pale face. But, he knew they were both worried and afraid. "I didn't think Naruto could form strategies that involved more than one stage," she remarked softly and he could tell she was impressed.

"He does seem like the kind who would throw punches until either he or his opponent is down for the count," Shizune agreed and started using a diagnosis technique on Naruto.

"Tsunade. Shizune too," Jiraiya greeted enthusiastically with his usual 'cheesy' smile, hiding his surprise. He was certain he had only sensed a single presence earlier. _Oh, Tsunade. You clever woman._ "I didn't think you were interested in watching the brat train."

"Some Anbu felt the fox's chakra while patrolling nearby," Tsunade shrugged and glanced over the boy with a critical eye, noting his injuries. "I decided to ensure the situation didn't get out of hand after I got the report. How is he, Shizune?"

"Well, he is good, all things considered. He will be fine after a few days of rest. He is on the verge of chakra exhaustion," Her apprentice answered before carrying the unconscious boy on her back. "I will take him to the hospital where I can treat him properly," She disappeared in a shushin when her master inclined her head.

"That was unusually harsh of you, Jiraiya," Tsunade noted with a small frown on her face. "Riling him up like that to the point where he used its chakra unconsciously. I hope you got what you wanted from this little stunt of yours."

"Heh, if you think this was harsh then you have no idea how I trained his father," Jiraiya boasted proudly, not a hint of regret in his voice. "Besides, I got what I wanted to know. He has a long way to go, but he will be fine."

She glanced at his burned hand. "You could have dodged that pretty easily," She remarked, ignoring his smug tone with practised ease. "Do you want me to heal those?"

"I could have, but I wanted to let the kid know that he achieved something, you know. A little encouragement, you know" Jiraiya admitted truthfully. "Besides, he doesn't have any hope of touching me if I take him seriously," He extended his injured arm towards her. "And I couldn't find it in me to stomp on his confidence after all that has happened."

"What's the verdict then?" She ignored his worries for now. "Do you still intend to proceed according to your plan?" She asked, referring to his idea of teaching Naruto to harness the fox's power.

"He is good for a rookie with so little experience. Creative, brave, resilient too, if reckless and foolhardy at times. It's nothing that won't be curbed with time. You saw what he managed with only two jutsu. He will be a great ninja in no time," He answered with pride, gesturing to his arm.

"After all, he seems to have stopped thinking of this profession as a game. But, he has a very long way to go. I have a lot of work ahead of me if I want him prepared to face them," He paused for a moment before continuing, "Besides, I don't think trying to train him to use its power will be productive for any of us. I don't have enough information to train a jinchuriki and it's not worth taking the risk, anyway."

"Furthermore, he doesn't seem to enjoy relying on its power anymore," He continued gravely before she could speak. "He hates relying on its strength. I can see it in his eyes, he feels weak every time he has to ask for its chakra. Besides, it's not like he can't be strong without the fox, right?" He asked lightly.

Tsunade inclined her head before turning to look towards the village. She had assumed that much from her previous conversation. "As useful as having that extra chakra is, I can guess that having its chakra flowing through his body is making things difficult for him. How could he have proper control when there are two different chakra flowing through his body?"

She was told that the seal was left a bit open by Minato when Jiraiya proposed the idea of training Naruto as a jinchuriki. It came as a surprise when she realized that the boy learned rasengan with that type of imbalance in his chakra.

_He could achieve great things if the fox didn't hinder his control so much._ The first task after learning that little detail was a thorough medical examination of the boy's chakra system with the help of a Hyuga medic. As far as she was aware, this was the first case of a seal being left open intentionally. And she was worried about the consequences of that.

While the dark, corrupt chakra helped by boosting his genetic healing, she did not know how else it affected him. For all she knew, it could take years out of his life every time he used it!

"Can't you do anything about the seal?" She asked the resident expert on seals. Even though she had learned the art of sealing at her grandmother's knees, she didn't know much about the seals of that nature. She had, once, hoped to pursue the art of sealing in the honour of her grandmother and the clan she hailed from.

Death, destruction and war left her with little time to pursue those hopes. And when all was said and done, it left her with little desire to pursue them. Even now, it seemed, she would not get the chance to learn the art of her forbearers. Even though she was back in the village, her grandfather's village, all she could worry about was the storm brewing on the horizon. That kind of storm brought nothing but pain and suffering and left death and destruction in its wake.

At times like these, when she thought of the wars to come, all she could do was pray that it left enough for the leaves to start anew. The Senju had always been the first in their desire to weather those storms for their dreams. The name had long since reduced to one member. Her.

Perhaps it was fate, for what else could it be, that she lost the sucker's bet to a child and returned to the village. If she hadn't, she would never have remembered her grandfather's teachings and what the village meant to her. She would still be drowning in her sorrow while her grandfather's legacy, once again, fought for its existence.

She smiled lightly when her companion coughed softly. She could imagine him squirming uncomfortably. For all his perverted antics, he was incredibly awkward at times. She shook her head, focusing her mind on the issue at hand.

From what she knew, the Fourth Hokage had used a modified version of an original Uzumaki seal. She would have to brush up her skills if she hoped to gain a proper understanding of the seal. And then there was that other seal, the Dead-Demon Consuming seal. She had no idea how the two seals worked or affected each other.

"I most certainly can," Jiraiya assured her sincerely after she nodded, "But the issue is more complicated than that. His body has had the fox's chakra flowing through him for a very long time now, I don't have any idea about how much his body relies on it. For all we know, the sudden withdrawal of that chakra can prove itself fatal to his health."

"Besides, his control increases tremendously when both chakra inside him are in harmony. We have much to consider before we even begin thinking of messing with the seal." He shook his head at that line of thought. He had no idea how to manage that other than having the boy lose himself to anger. He was sure Naruto could handle short bursts of its power by now, but he wasn't aware of the effect it had up till now.

"I will have to study both seals in detail before I can do anything about it. You will also have to be involved with the medical side of things. We can begin closing the seal little by little and observe its effect before taking any drastic steps." He was certain his student had left the seal open as a way to help his son.

Unfortunately, he also had the fox's claw impaled through his torso when he sealed it. And the addition of this little detail (some concerned Anbu members had found him recently after they heard of Naruto using the fox's power willingly in the recent exams), left him uncertain if the seal was left open intentionally or not.

"Minato has left the key of the seal behind. I can use that to close the seal a little bit. But I can't do that without him knowing about it." _Can he be trusted with its knowledge?_ The query remained unsaid.

"I suppose," she hummed, vividly remembering the injuries caused by that kind of chakra, "Do you think he is ready to bear the burden of that knowledge?" She made a note to have Shizune search for notes on Jinchuriki.

"Only time will tell," He chuckled, refusing to comment on things he was uncertain of, before turning serious. "I have a request to make of you, Senju-sama."

She blinked at the sudden change in honorifics and turned towards him, "Well, out with it then?"

"I would like to gain access to the Senju locker," Jiraiya's request made her raise a brow in surprise.

"Whatever for?" She asked curiously. The only reason she didn't outright deny him was that she knew him to know better than to ask such things.

"There are a few jutsu Sarutobi-sensei placed in your locker that I would need," He paused for a second before continuing, "Minato's notes on the seal and a few other techniques he was working were placed in it. Then there is his signature technique as well. Those notes, whatever's left of it at least, were placed in your locker a few months ago."

"I see," she made a note to recover the keys of her clan's locker from the office, "why were they placed there anyway?"

Jiraiya's lips quirked in amusement, "Now that's a tale you will find yourself interested in," and he shook his head, "One Uzumaki Naruto, somehow, managed to steal the scroll of sealing from right under sensei's nose."

She laughed heartily as he recounted that incident. Who knew her sensei was such a pervert? Then again, Jiraiya learned the _art_ of peeping from the man himself. It also brought up the glaring issue of lax security in the village. She made a note to bring that up in the next meeting.

She, almost, didn't want to know about the kind of mess she had on her hands when an academy student could steal a very important scroll from the Hokage's office and another could leave the village in the middle of the night. Exceptional as they were, they were mere genins for god's sake.

"Let me get this straight," she shook her head, already feeling the beginning of a headache, "you want to begin teaching him his father's techniques now?" _So much power to a genin. Especially one as reckless as Naruto. _She wondered what was going through his head.

"Yeah," he frowned at the reluctance in her voice, "I mean, it's not like we have much of a choice, do we? The kid will have S-ranked monsters gunning for his head soon enough. We have little to no intel on Akatsuki and their goals other than their aim to get their hands on the nine-tails."

"Besides," he continued gravely, "it's not as if we have anyone capable of fighting S-ranked shinobi and trained jinchuriki. Gods forbid, if anyone from the village faces an enraged jinchuriki and I am not there, it will be a slaughter." _Not to forget, there are at least six jinchuriki out there. And two of them are said to have gained perfect control over the beast!_

Hearing those words merely confirmed her suspicions, her lips curled downwards, "How did we get so weak? I remember us having dozens of shinobi capable of at least being able to hold off a jinchuriki. The barrier squad, the Anbu sub-division, Root… whatever happened to them?"

"Most of them were lost when the fox attacked," his eyes lowered in pain, "and the village never recovered enough to return to the standards it followed before. Sensei pushed for more peaceful policies after that, and I can't say I blame him for choosing that. Too much of the village's funding was delegated to recovery and rebuilding. And then, the disaster with Uchiha and Kurama clans happened. It was one problem after another."

"This is a mess," she declared after a minute of solemn silence.

"Yeah, well," He shrugged helplessly, "so, what do you say?"

"How much time do we have before the Akatsuki make their move?" She asked instead, her fists clenched in worry.

"Three years at least," He answered easily.

"I see," she stared at the sky for a moment, "Very well. I will need some time to consider your request."

"What?" Jiraiya blinked in surprise, "I don't understand. Why do you need time for this?" It was a straightforward request, wasn't it?

She sighed, wondering for a moment if she could punch some sense in the man. "I know it's important, Jiraiya. We are on a time limit but you have to understand that I can't just allow you to teach all those techniques to a genin as reckless as Naruto."

"Besides," she continued before he could protest, "don't think for a second that I don't know about that _spar_ on the hospital roof. For god's sake, he used a lethal move against his teammate Jiraiya. A teammate who, mind you, had just recovered from coma."

"He should have never accepted that challenge in the first place, and even if he didn't want his pride to get hurt, he should have stopped long before lethal techniques were used. Techniques, I must say, no genin has any business knowing." She glared at him pointedly.

Jiraiya closed his mouth with a click at the sharp rebuke. He was hoping she would not be too angry about that incident. Apparently, he was wrong. For a moment, he thought of pointing out that it was the Uchiha kid who asked for a spar but he didn't get the chance.

"And don't point out that the Uchiha kid did the same or that he was the one who challenged the brat. I know everything that happened that day, I was there," she had stayed in the shadows and watched the events unfold. And if she was honest with herself, she was very disappointed by everyone involved, both the teachers and their students.

"The only reason I didn't involve myself directly was that I had hoped you and Kakashi could handle things. Both of your students resorted to lethal techniques in an unsanctioned spar with no supervision. Frankly, I am surprised they didn't injure the villagers," she shook her head when she saw the man smile sheepishly. "Both of them would be spending time in a dark cell if the Uchiha Police was still active."

"But, that's all in the past," she waved her hand dismissively, "I don't want to start a discussion about that, I have enough on my plate as it is. The point of the matter is that Naruto has shown himself incapable of exercising restraint. He has shown himself to be too headstrong and reckless to be trusted with techniques like those. He has a lot of growing up to do before I can feel comfortable handing such power to him."

"But…" He tried to protest, but she spoke over him.

"But nothing, Jiraiya," she glared at the man pointedly. "My decision is final and if you are so eager to teach him his father's techniques then at least wait for him to earn the rank of chunin. You can go wild after he has proven himself to be a capable shinobi who can be trusted with both secrets and power. Not until then."

"I understand," He sighed, he really did understand where she was coming from. Naruto was reckless, very much so when it involved something he firmly believed in. And he was the impatient kind with poor control of his emotions and actions. It was a bad combination for a shinobi. It was worse for him because when he lost control, the fox came out to play. And none of them knew how it affected the boy. Perhaps, he should give her some time before trying again.

"I understand where you are coming from," Her eyes softened. "He has every right to learn techniques his father left behind. And you, as his godfather, feel responsible for that. I understand, I really do. But, I think you are overlooking one important thing here. His father was not what the flying thunder god or rasengan made him. He was an exceptional shinobi even before he made those techniques."

"He was much more than the techniques he created," She said. "Minato, on his worst day, would have never used lethal techniques on his comrades. Naruto has a long way to go before he can match up to his parents. But if you continue to guide him, I firmly believe that he can surpass both of his parents. Not by just learning their techniques, but by understanding what they stood for."

"I understand," He answered softly. Maybe he was a bit hasty in his desire to pass on his student's techniques to his godson.

"Have a spar with me, Jiraiya," she said after a moment of silence.

"What? Why?" He blinked in confusion. He did not want to get hurt by her monstrous strength. He got that enough when they were genin. Thank you very much.

"Well, I am out of practice," She admitted reluctantly, a small blush on her cheeks. "I need to get my skills up to par. Akatsuki will, eventually, come to our doorsteps in search of the fox. When that happens, I will be the last line of defence. I can't be that if I am rusty and out of practice."

"I see," He scratched his chin. "Are you certain this has nothing to do with my earlier stunt?" He was certain it had something to do with that. He could see it in her eyes even though she denied it.

"Besides, I have some research to do, you see. Some other time, perhaps?" He waved his hands frantically, trying to get himself out of this mess. He really didn't like the look on her face.

In response, she cracked her knuckles. Jiraiya would forever deny squeaking like a little girl when she charged at him suddenly.

**-[-**

With a heavy breath and a heart set in stone, Sakura leapt in the air and rushed to take cover amongst the trees. After travelling through the thick canopy of leaves and branches, she jumped down and stared at an empty bench.

_Thank you, Sakura._ He had whispered on a night so similar to this one. She was the only witness to the pain in his voice. She knew he had made his decision then, much like she did today. Her fists clenched as she thought of the enormity of her decision. _Things might not go back to the way they were before._ For a moment, she faltered and doubts seeped through her being.

_I have to stay strong._ He was out there somewhere and she had to bring him back. Without him, team Seven would never be the same. She shook her head. It was not the time to dwell in the past.

_He left from this entrance, didn't he?_ She frowned at the looming gates before turning to look at her village for one last time.

"This might be the last time I see him," She whispered softly, strengthening her resolve. _Naruto, Kakashi-sensei. Everyone. I am very sorry for doing this. Will you forgive me when I return?_ She wondered briefly with a heavy heart.

_Will you be able to find it in you to accept me, Naruto? Sakura- the traitor? _She had made her decision, and there was no way she could bring herself to turn back now. She was not weak anymore. With those thoughts, she approached the gates.

Her brows raised in surprise when she saw two guards at the gate. _Shouldn't there be more guards after Sasuke-kun left the village so easily? Then again, the village is extremely short-staffed at the moment._ She thanked her lucky stars when she noticed they were sleeping.

She crept closer silently. She almost ruined her cover when one of them moved a bit. Sighing in relief, she tried to calm her beating heart and put her plan into motion.

Anbu operative Takai, retired really, resisted the urge to sigh as his partner chattered on about the missions she went on as a chunin. He longed to return home then, away from his babysitting duties. Then again, showing ropes to a newly minted Anbu was considered babysitting back in his day.

"Why are we doing this again?" His _student_, and he was very reluctant about calling her that, asked when she finally stopped talking about that one client from Sugi village.

"Hokage's orders, Tōka-san," He answered gruffly. "The village security is being re-evaluated due to recent events."

"Yeah, but that's what those chunin guards are for, aren't they?" She complained. "I thought I was done with the grunt work after I joined Anbu."

"The chunins are asleep," He paused when she cursed and glared at the sleeping guards. "Now, now. No need to be angry, Tōka-san. They are from the administration department. You can't expect them to be vigilant after working in that department for years."

Tōka snorted in disdain. "My sensei used to tell us that those were just excuses made by people who didn't want to put in the effort."

"I see," He mused when he saw her glare at the guards from their post on the terrace of an unsuspecting building. "Then your sensei must have never done much work in the administration department. Working in administration department is just as stressful as going on missions. Those guards you see down there." He gestured airily.

"They spent the whole day filling and filing forms ranging from missions logs to concession requests. Then when they were finally free, they were asked to fill in for the guards. Knowing the state of the village, they didn't think for a second before agreeing to the request. That's over fourteen hours of work, mind you. I am surprised they lasted as long as they did."

"I still don't see the big deal here," She pointed at him. "You came back from your retirement so that the village could manage the manpower efficiently. Everyone's doing their best to help the village recover. What are you trying to say here?"

"What I want to say is," He paused and then sighed, "that you are getting a big head. It's not your fault really." He waved before she could protest. "It happens to the best of us. People often lose sight of important things when they are promoted or asked to join special sub-divisions."

"Just because you are an Anbu doesn't mean you are better than those chunin down there." He explained. "It doesn't make you more important than them in the eyes of the village. It just means that you are given a different set of responsibilities than them. Both sets of responsibilities are equally important for the village to function properly."

"But they are from administration department," She whined and he chuckled softly.

"Whatever you say, kiddo," he shook his head and smiled knowing that he had made his point. Plenty of Anbu had that problem when he was active. It often resulted in friction between Anbu and other departments frequently.

Sometimes, it led to the Anbu operative being humbled, other times it ended in violence. Or what they used to call training accidents. Of course, the strict disciplinary process ensured those kinds of accidents didn't happen again. But it was better to nip the bud before it grew. His owl hooted from above.

"Well, would you look at that," Tōka mused softly and pointed.

"Another genin?" He sighed when he saw the pinked haired girl creep closer to the guard-post. "That's sixth this week if what I read was correct."

"Are we going to stop her or not?" His _student_ asked impatiently when the girl threw some smoke bombs at the guards.

"No," He shook his head and made two shadow clones. One to alert the village and another to check on the guards. "We will follow her for now. She might be used to lead us to a trap. There was a team working with Orochimaru that lead the Anbu squad delta to their demise a few weeks ago."

"Then why are we following her," Tōka asked sceptically as they followed the girl deeper in the forest.

"Because," He hesitated for a bit, "while the chances are slim but she could lead to the members of another growing faction as well."

"Another faction?" Tōka eyed her superior.

"Not everyone agreed with the decision to forgive Sunagakure," He sighed and followed the voice of his owl. "The village leadership suspects there might be certain elements that will try to disrupt the fragile peace we have managed to achieve."

"I see," She frowned. "I was wondering why there was increased activity in the village."

"That's because the Fifth has decided to have twenty percent of our forces on standby," He explained to the rookie. "I don't know the full details but I reckon the village leadership is planning something."

She hummed, putting the worries about about another faction out of her mind. "What's the plan then?"

"Make clones, surround her." He said gruffly, "If she is alone, use intimidation. Otherwise, wait for backup. No unnecessary risks until we are certain that we are not being led to a trap. Maintain distance on the off-chance of her knowing any suicide techniques. Clear?"

"Crystal," She muttered.

A few hours later, Sakura landed in a clearing. Exhausted as she was, she didn't think it was wise to rest for long until she was out of the land of Fire._ I promise I will come back after I rescue Sasuke. We will be team Seven again. It will be the same then. Everything will be back to normal._ She smiled grimly.

"Now, where can I find the hidden village of Sound?" She muttered and took out a map from her backpack. "From what Ino learned from Shikamaru, Sasuke-kun was taken north towards the Valley of the End. He could be anywhere now but I can begin from the countries near that border. Let's see, that leaves me with the Rice, Hot springs and Iron country to start my search."

She heard winds flapping and glanced up to stare at an Owl sitting on the branch of a tree. The bird was staring at curiously. It screeched loudly. "Dumb owl." She muttered before turning away to ignore it.

"There is no way that the Samurai of Iron country would allow Orochimaru to make a base on their land," She mused with a frown. "That still leaves Rice and Hot springs. That's a lot of ground to cover."

She traced a finger on her map and squinted to see properly in the moonlight. "I really should have thought this through." She groaned.

"Yes, you really should have." She yelped and suddenly found herself surrounded by Anbu._ I didn't even notice them._ She winced.

"Genin." One Anbu, presumably the leader, spoke suddenly. "You are currently charged for leaving the village without authorization and assaulting fellow shinobi on duty. You will get a chance to speak for yourself when you are interrogated." The masked shinobi nodded.

"Wait. This is all just a big misunderstanding." She waved her arms frantically. She could hear her heartbeat now. _There is no one around who can help me this time. Naruto... Kakashi-sensei... I will only make it worse if I struggle against them. _

"I can explain." She raised her arms in surrender, letting the map fall.

There was a sharp pain on the back on her neck and everything faded to black.

**-[-**


End file.
